The Handmaid's Tale by Maragret Atwood

A. Symbol: Red.

The color red is a consistent significant symbol that appears throughout The Handmaid's Tale. Red is the specific color of the cloaks that the handmaid's are obligated to wear. This color is strictly reserved for being a handmaid which implies that red is a symbol of reproduction, because that is the purpose of the handmaids, and the blood of the menstrual cycle. For instance, the marthas do not wear red because their role is to cook and clean and not reproduce. The color red is also a prominent allusion used by Margaret Atwood. In The Scarlet Letter, Hester Pyrnne wears a scarlet letter to symbolize her affair with Arthur Dimmesdale. The color red stood for Hester's sin against her husband, culture, and beliefs. The color red in the Handmaid's Tale relates to this allusion because the handmaids are forced to endure the ceremony every month even though the commanders are married and the handmaids themselves, like Offred, were married in their old lives. The ceremony is committing adultery and the color red on the handmaid's outfits symbolizes their role in the crime.

B. "Back on the earth, my mother, part of the crowd now, and I can't see her anymore" (120).

This quote was significant to me and this novel because it sets the tone for how Offred will forever see her mother. She was so used to viewing her mother as a strong and independent woman who burned pornography and embarrassed Offred with her feminist opinions. However, times changed, and Offred is now forced to picture her mother working in the colonies and blending in with "the crowd". This is a somber moment for Offred to tackle. It is a moment of realization of the horrors of Gilead. When Atwood says "... and I can't see her anymore", this symbolizes the moment Offred had when realizing that she will likely never contact her mother again and no longer can reach her if needed.

C. Personally, I thought this novel was very well-written and brought forth a very pertinent point. However, I am disgusted by Gilead's practices and values. I feel as though this book should be very well-known in our society because it is a warning that portrays the terrors of having females being "protected" and males holding a powerful dominance. Traditionalists should take this novel into consideration because it literally applies the traditional roles of the female gender to a futuristic society. Atwood uses Serena Joy as a "has been" traditionalist who is now forced to endure the consequences of her choices. Atwood uses exemplary allusions and metaphors like the pen, the faith pillow, and Offred's mother to amplify her feministic views. Atwood uses her literary techniques to force readers to comprehend that practicing this type of society is treacherous and should be avoided at all costs.